


Four Divisions

by dork_bending



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Dad Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Early Overwatch, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Multi, Slice of Life, Team as Family, Teenager Jesse McCree, Young Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, doubt their will be anything too nsfw, goes by Estrella until Blizard says otherwise, lots of fluff, original overwatch, single parent, sombra and mcree as siblings, sombra doesn't have an alias yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-10 15:38:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8922796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dork_bending/pseuds/dork_bending
Summary: “The horse is called a ‘knight’, he moves in an L shape, remember? I just told you this.” Gabriel instructs. It’s been a day. Estrella still requires some treatment for her lungs, supervision, definitely. Technically Gabe should be too highly ranked for such a task, but he finds he isn’t bothered. Besides, it seemed Estrella would have no one else. So here he is, in a park near the sea that’s currently overcrowded with medical tents, teaching a four year old how to play chess on a cracked concrete table.
The Gabriel adopts Sombra AU that literally no one asked for but here I am.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sombra is an alias, so until canon says otherwise, Sombra's name is Estrella :0
> 
> Honestly not sure how long I intend for this to be yet, but I do have a general plot in mind and will be attempting to update regularly. Uh. This is my first time doing fanfics in a while so I may be a bit rusty ;v;

The building had come down around her during the fighting. It’s a broken wall and a beam of concrete that’s stopped her from being completely flattened, but she’s bent into an uncomfortable shape, breathing heavy. A bigger person would have been killed right away. But there’s blood dribbling down her chin, hitting her knee, soaking her tights. Her chest hurts. And it’s so, so dark. It's not just her mind, it's actually been hours trapped under there.

When the Crisis had started, she lost her parents. That had been around three years ago. She’s four now, almost five, and had been living in a foster home with dozens of other kids, all as bad off as she was. Sometimes the world would get too loud. Too bright. Too much. Before Tia Valencia had figured out that putting her in front of a computer was the best and possibly only way to soothe her, she'd explode several times a day. The other kids tended to avoid her, and she tended to avoid them. Briefly she wonders if any of them survived. She was separated. There’s a chance that they’re alright. Just a chance.

Her name is Estrella. At least for now. Her foster parent, Tia Valencia, always called her Rosita.  There’s a undoubtedly broken tablet in her pocket, and she scrambles for it. The blue light illuminates the dark space. It calms her a little. Just to look at that glow, just like it always has.

She hears the sound of heavy boot steps, somewhere near her. But her cries for help are broken and muffled. She can hardly breathe, let alone yell for help. The boots stop; a voice calls _“_ _hay alguien ahí?”_

Someone’s heard her.

Estrella is smarter than the average child. Knows she has to preserve what little oxygen she has on things like breathing. Fingers scramble against the tablet, forcing the volume as high as it will get and then repeatedly triggering the sounds of error codes. They’re louder than she can manage to make her voice, and it seems to work. The boots get closer. The bricks begin to shift. Eventually light, real, natural light, streams into what could have easily been Estrella’s tomb.

The figure of her savior is obscured in the brightness, light bounces off his helmet  and surrounds his head almost like a halo. “ _Hola._ ” His voice is soft, gentle. “ _Puedes moverte?_ ”

Her legs have long since gone numb. She responds. “ _Kind of._ ” in wheezy Spanish.

“ _I’ll get you out._ ” he assures, hand extending to provide a gentle pat to her shoulder. He starts gingerly shifting brick and rubble, careful to avoid any further debris coming down on her. “ _My name is Gabriel. What’s your name?_ ”

“ _Estrella._ ” she whispers.

“ _That’s a nice name._ ” A grunt as he moves a particularly large block of rubble.He must have noticed the blood on her face. How broken sounding her voice is, his digging has gotten a bit more focused and his next words come out clearly concerned. “ _Are you hurt at all, Estrella?_ ”

“ _My chest... hurts. Hard... to bre...the..._ ”

“ _I see. You’re almost out, alright? Just hold on a little longer. Can you do that for me, honey?_ ” As she gives a feeble nod he offers a little smile.

It’s another five minutes of small talk that feel like a little eternity before Gabriel is able to pull her out. It takes a moment for him to peel off his armor and sweater, slip the latter over her head and lift her into his arms. It's surprisingly cold out here. With a free hand he pushes her sweaty bangs from her forehead. “ _Come on, let’s get you patched up, shall we?_ ”

  


.:.:.

 

Gabriel smooths her hair down. He can’t blame her for being upset in the medical tents. They smelled of death and blood and decay, not to mention the sounds. Something she'd murmured to him as he'd carried her away led him to believe that maybe part of the reason was sensory overload. If it truly was the case he can't imagine that kind of thing would be good for her.

Estrella’s decided to cling to him, it seems. She’d limped right up to him, carrying the oxygen tank in her little arms, asked for him to take her away from there. At least for a little while. Gabe had consulted a field medic, one who agreed that it could be beneficial, as long as she was brought back at any signs of distress. ~~He tries not to suspect him of just wanting to be rid of her.~~

The captain allows her to sit on his lap, ever patient as she silently bends his fingers at the knuckle, ghosts her little hands over the calluses on his palm, squishes her cheek against one of his arms. She’s calmer at least. Her breathing is even and calm.

“Who’s this?” He recognizes Ana’s voice, especially the amused little lilt in the woman’s tone. Scoots to the side a little so she can seat herself beside him. Estrella is watching her with those large dark eyes of her’s.

“This is Estrella.” He shifts the little girl in his arms just a little, looks down at her. “ _Estrella, esta es mi amiga, Ana._ ”  

Ana’s spanish is broken, heavily accented, but she manages a feeble “ _Pleased to meet you._ ” That Estrella acknowledges with a nod, before pushing her face into the fabric of Gabriel’s shirt. He can't help but chuckle a little at that, even if she's holding one of his hands hostage. He did not peg little Estrella as a shy type.

It’s been almost six hours since they’ve taken care of the omnics, rescued as many civilians as they were able to with the assistance of Mexico’s troops and rescue teams, and began housing all the displaced refugees in available standing buildings and makeshift shelters.

Gabe is still not sure where Estrella belongs.

“It’s a good look for you.” Ana informs, smiling a little. “Being with kids.”

Gabe has realized he hasn’t stopped gently stroking Estrella’s hair with one hand, holding her oxygen tank in the crook of his arm with the other. He almost wants to mock himself for being such a mother hen, but instead he simply shrugs. 

He doesn’t mind, though.

 

.:.:.

 

“The horse is called a ‘knight’, he moves in an L shape, remember? I just told you this.” Gabriel instructs. It’s been a day. Estrella still requires some treatment for her lungs, supervision, definitely. Technically Gabe should be too highly ranked for such a task, but he finds he isn’t bothered. Besides, it seemed Estrella would have no one else. So here he is, in a park near the sea that’s currently overcrowded with medical tents, teaching a four year old how to play chess on a cracked concrete table.

Estrella nods to that. “Like this?” And Gabriel can only watch in silent resignation as she takes his queen.

Little brat has been playing him, he realizes. She quickly goes from evidently not knowing how to play, to masterfully commanding her end pieces. The rest of the match goes to her with a fight as Gabe starts having to put real effort into not letting her win. But eventually she corners his King at the edge of the board, he realizes he’s been soundly defeated by a child, and he asks, “where did you learn this?”

“The computer.” she says with a shrug. “Lotta them have this game installed. I play it against the computer when I get bored. It’s usually more fun on there.” She looks up and he must have dropped his poker face for just an instant because she quickly adds, “I didn’t know the names, though.” She tilts her head, swings her legs under the table. “Why is the horse called a knight?”

“Well. Before it was Chess it was called _caturaṅga_ , or Four Divisions. Like of a military. Infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariotry.” With each word Gabriel places a chess piece in front of her. Pawn is placed for infantry, Knight for calvary, Bishop for elephants, and finally the Rook for chariots. “When medieval England picked up the game, they changed the names to make it easier for them to understand. Since calvary means someone who rides horses and knights road horses, it just made sense.”

Estrella gives a nod to that, setting her head on one of her arms and gently tipping the knight from side to side with her finger.

“...Overwatch should have horses.” She states executively, in a way only a four year old can be. And Gabriel can’t help but laugh out loud.

 

.:.:.

 

It’s not the last visit he spends with her. He discovers that he really doesn’t mind her company; she’s got a brilliant mind, and every time he see’s her she latches onto his legs with a large smile and lots of eager questions.

Today is going to be an interesting day, he thinks. He’s located where she’s supposed to be, and is going to personally escort her home. He’s learned a lot about Estrella the past couple of days. That she likes stripes. That her favorite color is magenta. That she can’t read very well yet, but is almost disturbingly adept with computers. That she’s clearly a prodigy. Her parents must have missed her. ~~He knows he will.~~

Gabriel is slightly saddened by this development, especially considering he’s supposed to be leaving later, something both Ana and Jack point out.

“You’re moping, Gabe.” Jack informs, fingers tapping against his cheek over breakfast that morning. Lumerico was hospitable enough to provide provisions not only to the visiting agents, but the displaced citizens as well. Doesn’t hold a candle to his Abuela’s cooking, obviously,  but cooked en mass or not, it’s been awhile since he’s had food like this.

“Am not.” Gabe snaps back. “We had a job to do and we did it. I just want to see her home safely.”

“ _Usted no se pierda su pequeña sombra?_ ” Jack asks, clearly at least a little pleased with himself. Weather or not it's because of the spanish or the fact Jack has read him like a book remains to be seen. He's right, though. And Gabe can't help but resent him for that, at least a little.

Gabriel raises an eyebrow at him but otherwise looks incredibly unimpressed. Poker faces have always been a bit of a strong suit for him. He gathers his tray, stands, drops a kiss on Jack’s temple and as he walks off informs, “You’re getting better. Your accent is still shit though.”

 

.:.:.

 

He hums as he carries her on his shoulders. Estrella has curled against his head, set her chin squarely on his beanie. The conversation is deceptively light, considering all the destroyed buildings, the destroyed lives, they walk through. Evidently her house was still standing.

“Are you gonna visit me, when we get there?” She asks. And Gabriel would have to be an idiot to not notice the fact she’s trying to act nonchalant. But there’s a little edge of panic that seeps into her tone.

She doesn’t know he’s leaving soon.

“Rosita!” A woman shouts, Gabriel doesn’t fully anticipate the smaller woman to run at him, or pull Estrella down from his shoulders and hug her close. Estrella clearly knows her, she doesn't fully reciprocate the gesture but instead nuzzles her face against the older woman's neck. Whoever she is, she's small, isn't aging well, and is mumbling soothing words into Estrella's hair. About how she's so glad she's alright, that she's so glad she's safe. But Gabriel has to wonder,

“...Rosita?” Had she been playing him like she did with the chess game? No, she couldn’t be. Her name matched with the picture in the database Athena had tapped into.

Estrella shakes her head free of the woman’s embrace, looks at Gabriel. “Tia Valencia can’t really remember my name. Too many kids.”

Valencia's eyebrows furrow, she shifts Estrella a little to look at her face, gently moves her bangs off her face. Gabriel notes that she looks like she might cry. "Rosi... why didn't you tell me." But Estrella just shrugs. Gabriel would be blind to miss the clear resignation that hovers over her little head like a low lying cloud.

He can feel his heart hurt. Knows he’s about to do something impulsive. But first, he walks over, sets his hand on the top of Estrella's head. "Her name's Estrella." He corrects softly. "She's a good kid."

Valencia parrots the name slowly, nodding. Gabriel can tell that she's not quite playing with a full deck, but she's trying to do her best regardless. He can respect that. Kind of. Valencia sets her down, smooths her hair back one last time. Tells her to go inside so the grown ups can talk. Estrella gives Gabriels legs one last little hug before running into the house.

"Has she been eating?" Valencia asks. "You know sometimes Rosita---Estrella, Estrella. Will get so focused on her computers that she doesn't eat... Sometimes there's not enough food left or the other kids get to it first, or sometimes she's quiet and I forget to get her, or, or---

Gabriel puts a hand on her arm and informs, "She's had four meals a day, every day."

"Thank you..." Valencia reminds him of a frayed string that's barely holding itself together. But she smiles at him. "You know. I've never seen her like that. With anyone, really."

Her words are like flypaper; he's already stuck.

 

.:.:.

 

An hour later he walks back to the ship, holding a sleepy child and a plastic garbage bag that holds what few possessions she has. Gabriel has decided that she won’t stay there. She can’t. Valencia meant well, he could see it. But she had too much on her plate to give someone like Estrella a proper upbringing. No to mention what she'd said about Los Muertos. No, he decided from a pragmatic standpoint (according to him, at least), he'd be much better for her.

“Gabriel...” Ana speaks in a warning tone that Gabe ignores for the most part, tossing the garbage bag to Jack in a graceful motion. It's clothes mostly. There's a stuffed bear, looks like a something out of a claw machine, but nothing breakable. Estrella yawns against him, eyes falling shut as Gabriel takes his seat and shifts her once again.

Jack stares at him. Blinking once. Twice. “You’re serious.” It’s not so much a question as it is a confirmation.

Gabriel has taken a seat, Estrella curled against him, “As a heart attack.” Is his reply. “You didn’t see her foster home. I’m not sending her back. The woman in charge couldn’t even remember her name.”

“She’s not a puppy, Gabriel. You understand this, yes? Do you even know how to take care of a child?” Ana is pinching the bridge of her nose. She’s not so much upset as she is tentative. Gabriel isn't an idiot. He's stubborn, surely, but he's smart enough to understand what he's undertaking. She of all people know what it’s like being a single parent. Especially one in their line of work. “You understand what you’re committing to, right?”

“Obviously.” He states. This isn’t actually the first time he’s considered adopting. He’s good with kids, always has been. He’s got the income and the connections it would take to provide a good life. Time; that’s the only issue he can think of. He’ll have to ask Ana for help in that particular arena every now and again. But this could work, he thinks.

Estrella mumbles something in her sleep, and Jack scoots next to Gabriel, sets his hand on his and gives it a gentle squeeze. "You've always got my help, if you want it." 

"I'll let you know." He hums in reply. He gives Estrella's head a little pat. " _Dulces sueños, pequeña sombra._ "


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is a bit shorter! but yeah mainly some cute fluff and Gabe being a nerd c:

She’s not used to the base yet. Or her new home. Or the fact he’s taken her in. Reyes can see that in how overwhelmed she looks with the entire thing. She hasn’t stopped drumming her fingers against any and every hard surface. It reminds him of a pianist, almost. Or a keyboard. Hadn’t Valencia told him that Estrella was always on the computer?

When Gabriel had led her to his barracks (closer to an apartment, really) he’d been mildly embarrassed. It was clean, obviously, but mostly impersonal. Aside from the wilted flowers on the tabletop, a ballet bar screwed into a wall, and a few paintings he’d collected, it could have been anyone’s barracks. He’s starting to realize the amount of time he’s spent in Jack’s room is likely a factor in this. Oops.

“This is where you’ll be sleeping.” He tells her, holding open the door. It’s a small space. A glorified closet really. Standard twin sized bed pushed into the corner, bedside table, small desk, a closet door. “I’m sorry it’s not---”

“I’ve never had one before.” Estrella informs, cutting him off, walking in and ghosting her hands over the dusty, unused mattress. 

Gabriel leans against the door frame, “what, a room to yourself?” 

“A bed.”

He should have seen that one coming, honestly. He’d only briefly seen what the inside of the house looked like when he went to pack up her clothes, and saying it was crowded would be putting it mildly. There had really only been mats, sleeping bags, and pillows scattered around the floor in the room where her stuff happened to be. She’s never had much of anything, has she? “We’ll go pick up some sheets and a new blanket for you later, alright? And if you ever need anything Ana’s room is right next to mine on the left and Jack’s is to the right.”

She nods to that. Gabriel has already resolved to get her started in school soon. Start helping her learn English. Get situated in this base. And new clothes. She’s been wandering around in Fareeha’s hand-me-downs for the past day they’ve spent in the base, and that has to be fixed. He’s already had to roll up the sleeves of her sweater twice in an hour.

“Is there anything else you need?” He asks, getting into a crouch. She really is such a teeny little thing, isn’t she?

She doesn’t look him in the eyes. Bounces on the balls of her feet. And after a while she gives her answer, “I’d like a computer. A lot.”

“I’ll see what I can do, alright?” He assures, setting his hand on her head. She offers him a tentative smile in return. He’ll take it.

 

.:.:.

 

It’s been a week. Gabriel let her pick things out for her room, as well as clothes, shoes, a few toys. Gabe’s barracks are already starting to look more lived in. It’s subtle; you wouldn’t even notice it at first. But then you’d see the shoes thrown into the corner at an odd angle, a bright purple raincoat jammed between the wall and the ballet bar. Not to mention the child herself huddled in a blanket on the sofa, absently playing with a holovid. 

Gabriel drifts to the kitchen, notes the basket of strawberries on the counter that hadn't been there when he'd left. Jack must have stopped by. Just as well considering it's one of his off days. The strawberries are slid into the fridge and he gets started making two mugs of hot chocolate, puts one in her hands and just about drops himself beside her. Estrella scoots right up against his side, gets cozy. “What are you watching?”

“It’s about learning English.” She says, hitting pause. “Jack helped me set it up when he was here earlier. How was work?”

“Ah. That was nice of him.” He feels bad. Gabriel had known being a military brat could be taxing, but to be a latchkey kid on top of that? He’s still convinced taking her in was the right choice, especially compared to what she had left behind, but he can’t help but feel just a little bit of guilt. “Work was fine.”

She puts her cheek against his bicep, looks up. “Are you and Jack in love?”

Gabriel nearly chokes on his drink. He and Jack had been like this for years now; dancing around each other. It’s both an open secret and a bit of an inside joke to the majority of the people they’re close to, but they haven’t really acted on it in any way that could be considered public or even visible. The dates are small and discreet; anyone who asks gets told that they're friends. Neither of them are embarrassed, it’s just a matter of professionalism, they tell themselves. He never really considered for too long that what he and Jack had could be considered love.   
He gives her head a little kiss. “Finish your drink.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabe and Jack are literal disasters. Please help them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a little shorter than I intended :/ Hopefully the next chapter will be longer and make up for it! Also will likely be a longer time skip!

Gabriel wakes up to large dark eyes just above his face, staring wide and silent. He has to put real effort into suppressing his gut reactions; screaming or delivering a palm strike to the throat, because he knows those large staring eyes belong to none other than his little girl and he doesn’t want to scare her, or god forbid, hurt her. So instead he sucks in a gasping breath through his teeth.

Really, Gabe thinks, he should be used to this kind of thing. His little shadow has been in his life for a little more than a year and whenever she gets nightmares this is just what she does. He's not sure why she can't just ask him for comfort; it'd certainly be a lot simpler for the both of them. But he's accepted some of her eccentricities. He certainly won't condemn her for them.

Jack already seems on top of it, the man reaches over Gabriel with a yawn, and pulls her into bed, already draping the covers over her. It’s a bout of insomnia that’s kept him up, but hey, at least one of them seems to be on their toes. 

Estrella sets her head on Gabriel’s arm, face contorted into a little pout. He’s learned to read her at this point, knows that that look isn’t a good sign. That and the fact she hasn’t said a single word. She only goes nonverbal when the dreams are really bad.

He sits up, gently pulls her onto his lap, and begins to sing to her. His voice is low gravel and the song is something his mother used to sing to him when he was young. He’s got a nice voice, Gabriel had always been more than a little proud of it. When he was young his mother had made him sing in their church choir, but now the only people who really got to hear him were Estrella and Jack.

He’s alright with that.

He has to sing the song a few times before she finally drifts off, and at some point Jack seemed to find his way over, lean his head against one of Gabriel’s shoulders to listen. The man presses a kiss into Gabe’s neck, trailing slow kisses along his jawline. “She’s lucky to have you, you know.”

He leans into Jack’s chest, still holding Estrella close. Gabriel wouldn’t have called his life before her “empty” by any means. A lot of things haven’t even changed since then. But he’d have to be utterly blind to miss the added light she brought with her. Kind of ironic for someone he still will affectionately refer to as a shadow. “It’s the other way around, honestly.”

“I’m glad you too found each other.”

“Me too.”

 

.:.:.

 

He wakes up to an empty bed and the smell of bacon. Gabriel all but rolls out of bed and pads into the living room. He expects to find Jack and Estrella cooking breakfast together in the little adjoining kitchen, but is instead greeted by Reinhardt’s back curved over the stove. Torbjorn has seated himself on the sofa, currently entertaining Estrella with a little machine on the coffee table.

“Morning, sleepyhead.” Ana greets, shoving a mug into Gabriel’s hand. The woman is a gift, honestly, she even remembers how he liked it. Gabriel lets out a sleepy unintelligible grumble, taking a long deep swig. “Caught Jack on his way out. Said he had paperwork he needed to finish. Buuuuuut, he asked me to give this to you---” Ana stands on her tiptoes and gives Gabe’s cheek a little peck, prompting a blatantly dramatic whine from Reinhardt, a complaint that he hasn't gotten any kisses from her yet. Gabriel has already started walking back to Estrella by the time the two of them start to get affectionate. He’s almost glad Fareeha’s spending the week with her father over in Canada; he won’t have to cover her eyes.

“Dad! Torbjorn showed me how to make a spare battery for my tablet!” Estrella calls happily. Gabe can’t quite recall when she first started calling him “Dad” but his heart still gives a happy little jolt every time. 

Gabriel lifts her with one arm, takes a seat again with her on his lap. “That’s impressive.” He sets his chin on the top of her head with a long drawn out yawn.

“You should think about getting her into engineering. She’s got the brains for it.” Torbjorn informs, clearly more than a little pleased with how interesting Estrella seemed to find his work. 

Gabriel is well aware of how smart Estrella is; it’s something he’d be much prouder of, if he wasn’t quite so paranoid. He’s seen the way her eyes light up when she learns new things or gets to take something apart to see what makes it tick, how naturally certain things seemed to come to her; she could already speak English better than his mother.  And of course, putting her in front of a computer was like dropping a fish in a pond. He wants to be proud, truly, but he can’t help but worry that for all her intelligence someone will use her. He himself was what many considered to be a gifted child; he knows that kids like that grow up not entirely belonging to themselves, burdened with expectations of greatness. 

He does expect her to be great, but that kind of pressure could ruin people. Gabriel looks at the tablet battery, picks it up. “Well. What do you think, sombra? Do you wanna be an engineer?”

The little girl simply shrugs and leans against Gabe. “I wanna work with computers. Or with you.”

Gabe has to wonder if she has a cheat sheet somewhere; a comprehensive list of instructions detailing just how to make his heart melt. At this point he wouldn’t be surprised. He wraps her in a snuggly warm hug, peppering her cheek with kisses despite her protests that his beard was scratchy.

Cute as she was, however, Gabriel would see to it that she never saw a battlefield. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabe is a nERD. i love the man. 
> 
> Also since it is christmas, a lil fun fact: Sombra 200% believes in santa despite the fact she had never gotten a santa present up until Gabe adopted her. Tbh he lowkey figured she already knew up until she asked him, with total seriousness, if the Overwatch bases up north ever interfered with santa's work at which point he went "oh shit" and dragged jack around to make it the best christmas she ever had. When she saw that Santa had made his way into their barracks that night she was delighted, tackled gabe and jack, and at some point after the hype kind of plateaued she confessed to Gabe that she just thought Santa hated kids from Dorado. 
> 
> did i say fun fact? I meant angst and good lord protect this baby kinda fact.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a while since I've updated and I'm sorry my dudes. Depression has been kicking my ass. But hey, cowbro is here queer and ready to go! ;v; I'm going to add tags but this particular chapter has material that some may find triggering! if drugs are a triggering subject I advise going with caution.   
> thank you for your patience <3

She knows he’s going to be late, once again. Her father’s absence is something she can depend on when big operations are underway. Estrella has been reading the case files when Gabriel wasn’t paying attention and knew all about the planned sting against the Deadlocks. Even convinced him to let her accompany him to the Santa Fe base, partially to inspect the operation and partially to handle something on her own. She’d called it homework, but it was more than that.  

The hacking started as a pass-time. Something born of boredom and unintentional neglect. But she was so good at it. There was a little rush of adrenaline that always seemed to accompany a successful job, information stolen. And Estrella lived for that rush.

Gabriel doesn’t know about her “hobby”. Certainly doesn’t know she’s going to be blackmailing a gang leader later this year either. Estrella just needs to "borrow" some files from the base before she can get started. She can practically see the worry that would cloud his eyes. He has enough to deal with.

There’s a knock on the door and Sombra quickly covers the computer screen with a social media site before swiveling in her computer chair and padding over to the door. She figures it’s Jack. No one else would think to visit their quarters with Gabe out and she knows if it were him, he’d just walk right in. She’s not surprised to find him on the other side of the door. “What’s up?”

The first thing she notices is that he’s not wearing a uniform; just some nice pants, a dress jacket, and a dark t-shirt. The second is how awkward he looks. Third is the flowers and a wrapped gift. “Happy birthday, munchkin.” 

Shit. That’s why Gabe sent her an apology text this morning. Probably something to do with why he let her come with. Guilt can be such a powerful motivator, especially since this isn’t even the first apology text she’d received this week. Still, her stomach sinks. Gabriel doesn't miss her birthday. At least not usually. He makes chocolate pancakes and they watch cartoons together all morning, go out and do something like see a movie. The fact he isn't there, makes her feel hallow.

It’s a mild comfort knowing it’s not actually her birthday. Probably. Estrella had been so young at the time of the Crisis in Dorado that whatever records might have existed of her were lost. For all she and anyone else knew Estrella might have never been her name to begin with. But Gabriel had been taken aback when he learned that she didn’t know her own birthday, so together they chose a new one. October twenty-fourth. The same day he decided she wasn’t going to spend the rest of her life in Dorado.

“Your dad couldn’t make it, but I was thinking we could go out for dinner. What do you say?” He wears a bit of an awkward smile that Estrella doesn’t bother returning. She can appreciate that he’s trying to relate to her, to be a support system, but he isn’t the person she wanted to see. He isn’t Gabriel.

Estrella takes the gift and the flowers, turns without bothering to invite him in, sets both on the coffee table. “I’m going to get my shoes. Be right back.”

Maybe she’s too hard on him. Jack is trying. He is always trying. And more importantly Gabriel loves him. It’s probably not Jack’s fault that he’s missed her birthday, so she shouldn’t punish him for it by continuing to hold him at arms length or interrogating him. But he isn’t Gabriel.

She takes his arm, “I want to see that new horror movie too.” She informs with entirely feigned cheerfulness. Jack looks like he’s about to protest, so Estrella smooshes her cheek right up against his bicep and whines loudly; “Pleeeeaaaaase? It’s my birthday.” 

 

.:.:.

 

It’s almost dark by the time they get out of the restaurant; the sun illuminating the surrounding desert in shades of vibrant oranges and pinks. She has to admit it’s beautiful, that they don’t get sunsets quite like this back in Geneva.

“it’s my favorite part of being stationed here.” He informs as he holds the car door open for her. She won't say this to his face, but she had fun. Jack isn't a person she spends a lot of time around, and considering that it was a nice evening. 

She knows something is wrong, however, the second she hears his second phone going off. The tension is thick enough you could cut it with a knife and Estrella watches Jack shift from her father’s kind of boyfriend to a hardened soldier in an instant. As soon as he tucks the phone away he’s telling her “Gabe is fine.” Jack’s assurance is automatic and unwavering, he even offers a slightly strained smile. “It’s just a minor complication with your father’s current assignment. He’s fine.”

“Jack. Tell me what happened.”

He stops the car in front of the base; offers a “later, okay?” The base doesn’t seem to be in lock down, something she finds even mildly reassuring. A Private is called over and tasked with escorting her back to Gabe’s quarters and keeping an eye on her. She’s a wiring looking thing, all elbows and curly hair tied into a poofy ponytail. She takes Estrella by the hand, assuring her that Commander Reyes is fine. He’s going to be fine. Everything is going to be just fine.

Estrella can’t express how much she hates being patronized like this.

The plaque on her chest tells her that her name is Jones. She seems green. Estrella has lived among soldiers long enough to recognize when one is new, and Jones certainly seems new. “Hey.” Estrella’s tone is soft. “Can we play chess when we get there?”

“Sure.” Jones is tentative sounding. Estrella can sort of get why. She’s all of eight years old and people have already complained about her lack of expression and tone, the tech that never seemed to leave her hands. She’s been called things like ‘unsettling’ more than once. She tries not to care. Tries.

Estrella lets her into the barracks, toes her shoes off and then goes about getting the chess board. Jones has settled on the couch, hands on her knees. She glances at Estrella as she sets the board up, assigning Jones the white pieces. “So, uh, d’you take after your mother? You don’t really look much like Commander Reyes.”

“That’s cause I’m adopted.” Her response is more absent than anything, eyes focused on lining up the pieces. “You know dad’s gay, too, right?”

Jones simply blinks. Clears her throat. “Um, I can’t say I did.” 

Estrella has never been good at this. Talking to other people. Being nice. The night is probably just going to go downhill from this point. She starts by pushing a pawn forward, asking, “so, what’s your family like?”

The tension in her shoulder’s seems to loosen just a little. Maybe this wouldn’t be so weird after all.

 

.:.:.

 

He has yet to tell Estrella about the complication. The complication being a sixteen year old boy who somehow got mixed up in all this. So far he has yet to enter the interrogation room himself, but he did watch him break an agent’s nose with a well placed kick before they secured his legs.

The boy only seemed to be a little older then Estrella, and maybe he’d have been harsher had it not been for that fact; usually it’d be time for the bad cop routine. But he’s hesitated, gone with isolation instead. Gabriel has to wonder if fatherhood has made him soft.

It certainly didn’t hurt that the kid looked half dead with hollow eyes and boney wrists. Gabriel had looked at him through the security camera’s periodically for the past hour and a half, just watching for now. So far the kid had yelled a lot of expletives in colorful spanish, slammed his heels into the metal chair repeatedly, and tried (and failed) to get earwax out of his ear. He certainly didn’t look like a cold blooded killer, but the ballistics team reported that three of the four dead agents from the sting had rounds from his gun in their heads. 

“Dead before they hit the ground.” One had assured him. “He knew what he was doing.”

Gabriel checks the footage again. The kid’s hands are handcuffed between a bar in the middle of the interrogation table and his fingers are twitching, mouth moving like he’s mumbling to himself. He can’t see his eyes from under his bangs but he bets they’re darting, dilated. It looks like he’s going through a withdrawal of some kind. It would technically be a breach of protocol to bring Angela in and let her do a drug screening, but he wants to know just what he’s got in his system. 

And it turns out he was right. As soon as Angela pulls a blood sample she finds the kid is on enough Mollia to dose a bear. The news is unsurprising, troubling, definitely, but unsurprising. 

Originally marketed as a steroid, Mollia was quickly made highly illegal as soon as the FDA discovered some rather nasty side effects. Aside from things like increased aggression and paranoia and being highly addictive, they found that Mollia lowered things like agency. And that it never completely left someone’s system.

He’d seen adults ruined by the stuff. Gabriel hated to think what could happen to a kid. Especially when he has a sinking suspicion that it wasn’t his choice to begin with.

Gabriel watches the kid start to drift off, head set on his arm. Angela must have given him something to make the withdrawal a little less taxing. Probably came to the same conclusion he did. Gabriel just needs to have a chat with one of the other Deadlocks recovered in the sting before he can make a decision on what to do with him.

 

.:.:. 

 

It’d taken a while for the damned little ingrate to agree to the terms. But Reyes had known all too well that eventually he’d agree. The kid seemed prideful, but thankfully not enough that it got in the way of what would be best for him. They’d eat him alive in a maximum security prison. Reyes knew it. He knew it. 

A student. He rolls that word around his head. It’s not something he’d ever expected, that’s clear. But with the kid too young to be an official agent and nowhere else to go, it’d been the only choice that made sense. His talents would have gone to waste, is what he’d told the UN representative who’d asked, what he’d told Jack and Ana. Privately he hoped he could provide the kid, Jesse, he reminded himself, with a second chance. A life.

He walks into his barracks and wonders if Estrella is still awake. It’s just past midnight, but her sleep schedule can be weird, something he’s trying to curb as much as possible. He feels he should tell her about Jesse. He’s got to make up for missing her birthday too. Hopefully there would be time in the morning.

Gabriel see’s her wrapped up in her blanket on the couch, dark curls tumbling over the edge. He can still lift her easily, and does so, before walking her back towards her room. Her hand wraps around the fabric of his shirt, head moving against his shoulder as she informs him that, “You missed my birthday.”

He feels his heart contract for a moment. He’s heard that kind of resignation before a handful of times but the worst of which had to have been in Dorado, back when he first found her. It’d been years, and he’d never missed a birthday until today. “I know, sombra. I’m sorry.” 

“Abuela is going to yell at you.” Estrella informs, shifting a bit as Gabriel seats himself on her bed. He can’t help but be just a little relieved that his mother was there for her at least, even if it was just through a video.

Gabriel presses a kiss to the crown of her head. “I deserve that, probably. I’ll make it up to you somehow, mijita, I promise.”

She doesn’t respond right away. Hasn’t looked at him. But her cheek is smushed against his shirt, and she softly asks “will you stay until I go to sleep?” His assurance comes quickly and easily. And she’s finally looking at him. Anyone else would see her expression and think her disinterested, but Gabriel knows better. “Are you going to be here in the morning?”

“Yeah, I’ll try, okay? Maybe I can even do your hair. It’s just a complication with the operation.”

Another shift, so she’s sitting up on his lap, looking at him. “What complication?” 

She knows more than a civilian really ought to. She’s got a natural curiosity and a downright voracious appetite for information. Estrella has always been very adept at getting Gabriel to tell her things she otherwise shouldn’t know, but right now it’s late. “I’ll tell you in the morning, alright sombra?”

A huff. But she settles beneath her quilt, reaches out for Gabriel’s hand, and then gets comfortable. And he just smiles, slowly runs his hand over the top of her head and sings that old lullaby until he’s confident that she’s fast asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking about making a spin off about mccree with stuff that was going to be in this chapter but had to be trimmed out for length. Might just add at a later time. Anyway gabe is a sad dad, sombra is a literal goblin, and next chapter she and cowbro are gonna meet for sure B>


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayy, lil late but what up. Another TW ahead for non-consensual drug use! tbh imo the weird future steroids are an explanation for 1. the deadeye thingy. it's left over Mollia in his system coming out to play 2. why he was so skinny back in early OW days :0!! (there will definitely be more mention of that later)
> 
> also this is the fifth time I;ve attempted to post this cursed ass chapter, please kill me. If it doesn't post this time I WILL cry.

It’s been a week and he’s never been this far from New Mexico. Hell. Jesse's never even been out of the country. He’s not sure how he feels about Geneva itself, but he’s not crazy about Overwatch. Deadlock, for it’s many, many flaws, was close knit and he knew where his footing was. He holds his hat against his head, as he walks across the open courtyard to the other end of the base and laments the fact that he just doesn’t have that familiarity here.

Jesse runs his thumb over the little slip of paper detailing instructions, checks the watch that he assumes is standard issue; it was set on top of his neatly folded fatigues when he got out of the showers. He’s supposed to meet Gabriel soon in the training ground. Wherever that is. 

“You’re Jesse.” It’s a young voice but it isn’t the least bit uncertain. There’s no question in her tone, just an assertion of fact. 

He glances at her and the other little girl she’s walking with, the speaker is shorter with long braided hair falling over one of her shoulders, seemingly engrossed in something on her phone. The older of the two is taller with shorter hair; Reyes had mentioned families on this base, hadn’t he? “Yes ma’am.” He informs with a little tip of the hat and a deceptively easy looking smile. “And who might you be?”

“I’m Fareeha Amari, and this is Estrella Reyes.” the taller girl, Fareeha, replies. "Your Uncle Gabriel's new student right?"

Dark eyes widen just a little for just an instant and he ignores her other statement. “He’s got a kid...?” Reyes really hadn’t seemed the type to him. But she hasn’t denied it yet. Jesse hates the ugly cackling part of his brain that tells him the best and fastest way to get out of this base, out of overwatch, would be holding a gun to this kid’s head and backing out the door. She's tiny enough to carry. He could leave her at a bus station or something when he was finished--- Jesse tries to shove the thoughts away, like shoving down trash in a full garbage can.

She shoulders her backpack, not looking up from her phone. “Yup. Obviously.”

Fareeha gives her a little bump with her shoulder, “don’t be rude, Estie.” 

It’s been awhile since he’s been around kids; they weren’t exactly commonplace in the Gorge. He can’t help but think of Mia. She’d be around the same age as these two by now, wouldn’t she? It’s hard to remember the details about her face. But he still remembers her voice. Just like yesterday, and it leaves a painful knot in his chest. Guilt. Mollia or not, he can't forgive himself for almost forgetting his baby sister. He never will.

But this is neither the time nor place to dwell on her.

“You wouldn’t happen to know where Reyes is, would ya?” 

“He just needed to see Jack. He’ll be here soon. He promised to walk us to class.” Estrella finally puts the phone down and looks at him. “You look better than you did in your file. You’re face doesn’t look all smashed up anymore.”

Jesse isn’t given much of a chance to respond before Reyes seems to materialize out of nowhere. Runs a hand over Estrella’s head. “Sorry I’m late.” Dark eyes regard Jesse, brow raised. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the training ground, Mccree?”

Estrella has already grabbed his hand, bouncing up and down slowly on the balls of her feet. “He got lost.”

Gabriel snorts, Jesse can’t even think of a good witty retort. Little shit.

“tell you what. It's near their classroom. You can tag along.”

Jesse almost argues with that. Almost. But as well as much as faking confidence and acting like someone who knows what they're doing is a well honed skill of his, he's not about to look this gift horse in the mouth. He's already spent too much time and patience he didn't think he had running around this godforsaken place as it is.

He trails just behind the man, hands shoved into his pockets. It's harder to resent him like this; watching him walk with kids. One of which affectionately refers to him as “uncle”, the other excitedly chattering about some kind of machine and swinging his hand back and forth. Mccree still isn't about to forgive him.

“alrighty.” Gabriel gives each of them a little kiss on the top of their heads before crouching to their level. “Your mom will probably be able to come get you at the end of the day, okay? We just got her transmission and the mission went off without a hitch. She should touch down in an hour.”

Fareeha gives a smile, first one Jesse's seen since he met her. “thanks, Gabriel.”

“and you,” He looks directly at Estrella as Fareeha walks into the classroom, waits till she puts the stim toy that currently seems to be occupying her attention in her pocket. “be patient with your tutor, sombra. I don't want another Mr. McNamara incident. Are we clear?”

“ _ Como cristal _ _._ ” She replies in Spanish, standing on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek before entering the room.

He straightens and looks back at Jesse. The boy's skin crawls just a little with the intensity of it and he realizes that in the week since he'd been interrogated, forced to detox, and recruited he's never been this close to Gabriel. Not alone anyway.

“did you get much schooling?” 

He tries not to be offended by the question. And fails. “the hell's that supposed to mean?”

Gabriel looks nonplussed, dark eyebrow raised. “it means that it doesn't seem as though the Deadlocks gave a rat's ass about your formal education. Did they?”

“I just kinda dropped out in the eighth grade. No one really gave it much thought.” including him. He was already falling deeper and deeper into addiction at that point and school wasn’t a big concern for him even before that.

“I see.” Gabriel motions for him to follow and he does. “we've got a team of excellent teachers on hand for the kids who live at the base. We can find you one and get you on the road to a high school diploma. Maybe even a GED or a college degree too.” the man turns to glance back at Jesse. “And this isn’t optional. If you want to stay on as my student and stay out of Max, you're getting an education.”

“Sure, jefe. Whatever.”

When they finally get to the training ground, Jesse realizes that it really isn’t that close to the classrooms. And none of the other recruits have watches like his. It doesn't connect with him that both where gifts until he heads back to his barracks for the night.

 

.:.:.

 

“I don't think him being around Estrella is a good idea, Gabriel. At least not without me or you there.” Jack grunts a bit as Gabe pushes him into a deeper stretch. He can't really blame Jack for his sentiment on the little ingrate. His student and a minor or not, he had a body count. Gabriel had seen at least one of the murders; Jesse's skills had clearly been practiced, learned. Those four dead agents hadn't been a fluke.

But still. Gabriel has to wonder how much of that he'd actually been fully responsible for. Mollia was a hell of a drug; horror stories about atrocities committed on suggestions while under its influence had been around for decades now. A mother killing her children. Best friends quite literally ripping each other apart. Some were scare tactics, and exaggerations obviously. But Gabriel had witnessed enough of the drugs victims to know that some were all too real. The other Deadlock they apprehended and shipped off to Max had even confirmed that dosing desperate people with the stuff to aid in “ _recruitment_ ” was a common tactic in the gang when numbers dwindled. Not to mention the fact that Jesse is still technically a kid.

In the end that little bit of information  had been his saving grace. With what Angela had gathered from the blood test had proven to be an excellent argument for him not being in his right mind at the time he'd murdered those agents. That and his age had Jack and the UN representative agreeing, albeit reluctantly. 

“I'll keep that in mind. Make no mistake, though, we’ve got a year and a half before he's a legal adult and I fully intend to whip him into something respectable by then if it kills me.” Gabe helps Jack into another stretch, one arm under the small of his back helping him bend into a bridge shape. An absent snort. “Mom wants to meet him.”

“That does sounds like Perla. How's she doing by the way?”

“fine. Think she's less pissed at me for missing Estrella’s birthday by now.” Gabriel watches the man come down from his stretch, offers a small genuine smile. “Thanks for being there, Jack.”

The smile is returned and it’s an easy thing. “It wasn’t a problem. It seems like we never get to hang out, you know?" A little knit of his brows, slightly troubled expression. Pouty almost, something Gabriel would find funnier if not for the next thing out of Jack's mouth. "I don’t think she likes me very much though.”

Gabriel stands, offers Jack a hand. “You’re wrong. Estrella’s just wired a little differently is all. Some things are just hard for her to put into words, and some of her behaviors aren’t easy to understand if you haven’t spent a lot of time around her. It’s an autism thing. But she really does like you.” 

“I’ll take your word for it.” Jack takes the assistance with a soft grunt. “Ready to go?”

“If you think you can handle it, Jackie.” Gabe drops into a wider stance, arms up and at the ready. 

The sparring is something that started way back in the SEP program. It’s always been a good way to resolve tension and keep their skills intact. Therapeutic almost. Gabriel takes the first swing, Jack blocks and returns with a kick, and then they're really going.   
  


.:.:.

 

“I, uh, I can come back later. If you’re busy.” He’s embarrassed. Embarrassed that he has nothing better to do, embarrassed that Reyes is the first person he thought to go to. With how new and how experimental this whole thing is, he should have been grateful for the slightly extended curfew and the lack of constant supervision, but he’s just lost mostly.  

“Did you need help with something, kid?” Gabriel leans against the door frame, fingers tapping his forearm.

Estrella’s dark eyes peer out from behind Reyes and he absently puts his hand on her head. Jesse runs a hand over the back of his neck. Excuse, excuse, excuse, think of a good excuse. 

“Do you wanna watch the Matrix with us?"  Jesse and Gabriel both look down at Estrella as she pipes up. She's bobbing up and down in place, little hand wrapped around the hem of Gabe’s shirt.

Her request is so innocent and carefree Jesse can't think to deny it. The “Sure.” leaves his lips before he can even really think about it or what it'll mean for his relationship with Reyes. But Estrella already has one of his hands and is dragging him past Reyes and into their barracks.

Jesse is suddenly acutely aware of the fact that in the three months that he's been here he has never seen where Reyes lives until this moment. All he can think is that despite everything it's surprisingly human. Reyes goes about making popcorn on the stove and Estrella leads him to the couch.

“Why the Matrix? That seems a bit old for you, darlin.” it's a flimsy attempt at conversation, but it's something at least.

Estrella just looks at him, blank expression, monotonous voice that makes him just a little uncomfortable. “it's my favorite.”

“She watches it every Friday.” Gabriel calls from the kitchen. “at this point I'm sure she knows the script by heart.”

Estrella turns on the couch, straightening to reply “I do.”

Jesse smiles. It's an easy thing, natural. Gives Estrella’s bangs a little ruffle before he even registers what he's doing, but quickly retracts his hand. It's been years since he's seen Mia, ruffled her hair, but the muscle memory must still be there.

Estrella doesn't seem to care much. She simply fixes her bangs and then goes about checking her phone. Jesse breathes a mental sigh of relief that she didn't read into it. 

Gabriel seats himself beside her, settles the bowl of popcorn on her lap, and turns the TV on with the remote. Estrella makes light conversation, leaning her head on Gabriel's arm and playing with his hand. Jesse can't help but notice the comfortable warmth that seems to radiate between the two of them. It's weird and foreign to him, but nice. 

He doesn't mind it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel voice: I didn't know what was the big deal with having a dumb student, but I've had Jesse for a month now and if anything happened to him I would kill everyone in this room and then myself
> 
> my tumblr is dork-bending.tumblr.com! pls hmu with any questions or anything over there. Thank you so much for your support <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wheezes bc i don't know if anyone is even still interested in this fic.
> 
> also i know that sombra's real name is Olivia Colomar and I have a Plan for how that will come up :3c (assuming im able to write more. Which I really hope I'm able to.) But in the meantime everyone will continue to know and refer to her as Estrella for continuity!
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy this chapter after so long ;v;

“You should go with them.” Angela informs over lunch. She and Jesse tend to sit together in a little corner of the Mess Hall as everyone else tends to avoid them, unconsciously or deliberately. Jesse is still regarded as a bit of a criminal and the other medical staff tend to resent a seventeen year old who already seems to do her job better than them despite her age. Go figure. “It’s actually really common to go on trips with your mentor. Torbjorn and Linnea invited me to Ilios with them the last time they went. It usually just means that they like you and having you around, you know?”

 

Jesse’s dark eyes peer out from behind his bangs, “Really?” what Angela described... isn't a familiar concept to him. No one has ever wanted him around when there weren't people to shoot. Aside from Mia. And that seemed like forever ago. A lifetime ago.

 

“That or Estrella wants you to come with. She’s very taken with you.”

 

“seriously?” Jesse doesn't bother masking his disbelief. Estrella isn't outright mean to him, but so far ninety percent of her interactions with him have been laced with sarcasm and partonization despite how much younger she is.

 

Angela laughs a bit, waves her hand dismissively “You should value her good mood. And trust me, what you are seeing now is her at her best. She once reduced a tutor, a grown man, to tears. Ex-military and everything.”

 

Jesse just whistles lowly at that. “Estrella really is something else, isn't she?”

 

“anyway, how is your English assignment going?”

 

Angela receives a low groan. He'd almost forgotten his course work. He wishes he could. He's bored with it and as a result tends to ignore it. He could read at an almost alarming speed but just had better things to do then sit down and write out a report about some stupid book written by a dead guy. But Gabriel will kill him if his grades slip any more. Not to mention his tutor. “it's a bit of a work in progress, doc.”

 

Angela just gives his hand a comforting if not slightly patronizing little pat, going for her coffee with the other. “You’ve got my help if you want it. If I’m not busy, anyway.”

 

“you're too good to me, Angie.” It’s half flirtatious, just a bit sarcastic, but he does mean it. She’s the first and only friend he has here, and he intends to cherish that. At least until he can break away from this place in a quiet way and go back to Deadlock

 

He doesn't belong here.

 

The girl giggles behind her hand and it’s an easy thing, all joy and crinkled eyes. “I think this is the first time you’ve called me Angie and not doc.”

 

Jesse points with his fork, “don’t get too used to it alright.” but his straight face slips and then he's giggling too.

 

.:.:.

 

The time is coming, Estrella thinks. She's been carefully preparing for this for almost a year now, getting into Lumerico’s security, tearing through their firewalls. Not to mention the online meetings with the Los Muertos leader.

 

The Festival de la Luz will celebrate the day the power finally came back on after the crisis and Gabriel had thought it important for her to visit and see her old home; if she wanted to that is. Estrella jumped at the opportunity because it had been far, far too perfect really. Like she'd planned it herself.

 

She feels bad, almost, tricking him like this. But not bad enough. The ends, as always, will justify the means.

 

“excited?” He asks her over dinner with Jack that evening.

 

“Si. I wanna stop by the bakery.” If it’s still around. “Oh. And Tia Valencia.” If she’s still around. Estrella flips a piece of ravioli with her fork. “I don’t know if she’d remember me though. Or if she’s alright.”

 

Gabe’s brow knits just a little, hand settling itself on the top of her head and giving her hair a little ruffle. She smiles at him. It’s sweet and entirely artificial, because he will never know all the details as to what he saved her from. He was only there for a handful of days, she’d lived in that hell for four years and was smart enough to remember parts of it in fine tuned detail even years later.

 

Nights without food. Helping the older kids dig everything from computers to food out of trashcans. The sounds of botched amputations. The smells. He wasn’t there long enough to really know what not having functional hospitals or even electricity is like. Being taken care of by someone who can't even remember names or to feed you.

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come with you two.” Jack states. “It sounds like you and your dad are going to have so much fun.”

 

This time, sombra doesn't bother faking a smile. Her next words seem more ominous than they were meant to.  “Yeah. Should be really fun.”

 

.:.:.

 

“you're spoiling her.” Jack informs, not looking up from the flight schedule. He doesn't sound too concerned.

 

“I'm not.” Gabe replies, shifting the half asleep child currently nestled in his hoodie against his back, but doing so carefully as not to disturb her. She's also managed to sucker the man into carrying her luggage. Impressive. “where's Jesse?”

 

“He should have been here by now.” Jack checks his watch with an annoyed little huff. Gabriel had told him that their flight to Dorado would leave at four in the morning and that he'd better have his ass ready and in the terminal well before that time over and over for the past week now. Where is he?

 

The boy runs into the terminal, sneakers squeaking loudly against the polished floor, bag bouncing on his back with each step. And of course, one hand is locked onto his damned hat.

 

“you're late.”

 

“I know, I know.”

 

Gabe, shifts a bit to multitask. Holding Sombra, the luggage, and looking intimidating is harder than it sounds. “Do you at least have a good excuse?”

 

Estrella yawns, informing in a quiet monotone that, “He and Angela watched a movie last night.”

 

“How did you---”

 

All eyes are on her. She blinks sleepily. “Angela told me about it. It was her night off.”

 

Gabriel snorts. Jesse turns slightly red.

 

Estrella climbs down, grabs her luggage from Gabe. Going home should be an interesting experience she thinks. Especially with Jesse. It’d been her father’s idea to bring him along, figured some time out the base would be good for him, good to keep an eye on him. But Estrella doesn’t dislike him.

 

.:.:.

 

Jesse isn’t used to being in planes. Especially not ones like this. He’d never actually flown before up until Gabriel “recruited” him. This is only his second time in the air and he’s not crazy about it.

 

“If you throw up do it away from me.” Estrella says flatly. She’s got her legs tucked under her, head on Reyes’ shoulder and playing with a tablet. She glances up over the thing to look directly at him. “You look awful.”

 

“Your concern is touchin’, sweetheart” He replies slowly, putting his head between his knees and letting out a low groan.

 

“Here.” Gabe tosses him something that Jesse catches deftly. “It’s ginger candy, good for nausea. One of the SEP doctors used to give them to us all the time during testing.”

 

Jesse stares at the little candy in his hand for a moment, unsure what to make of the thing at first. And then he mumbles a soft “thanks” and unwraps the thing.

 

.:.:.

 

Valencia is just as frayed and grizzled as Reyes remembers her. Maybe even more so. Time has not been kind to this woman. But she smiles at Estrella and pulls her close, running a hand over her hair, kissing her head. She seems to recognize the little ten year old, even after all these years and something about that makes Gabe feel bittersweet; His little shadow really is unforgettable isn't she?

 

_“we've missed you, Rosi. have you been well?”_

 

_“yes, Tia.”_

 

If the Rosi comment bothers her it doesn't show. Estrella even offers the woman a gentle smile as she strokes her cheeks with her thumbs. She’s been getting good at faking emotion. And then Valencia glances at Jesse, _“Alano, is that you?”_

 

Jesse shuffles awkwardly, almost sheepishly offering a _“no, ma’am.”_ in perfect spanish

 

Valencia just blinks, _“...oh.”_

 

_“Will you be going to the festival?”_

 

 _“Of course. All the children and I will be attending.”_ Valencia says assuredly. Her attention goes back to Estrella, “ _I’ll be seeing you there too, right Rosi?_ ”

 

_“Yes.”_

 

At least for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Valencia really makes me sad ngl. And if you were wondering Italics are meant to mean the conversation is taking place in spanish since I didn't wanna rely on google translate!
> 
> we will be seeing more of Dorado and what Sombra's up to, no worries :3c I do intend to continue this if it kills me.
> 
> hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to ask me anything on my tumblr (cryptidtorbjorn.tumblr.com) or my RP blog which im not going to list but you can ask for on my personal


End file.
